danjal

Just had Barbs of Condemnation join the list of unusable skills alongside Edér's Into the Fray. Definitely seems to be connected to skills not properly getting cancelled after combat ends/gets interrupted or some such event. Making the game think its still toggled when it is not.

No word yet I take it? A friend of mine is eagerly awaiting the WL2 key that was supposed to be part of my pledge, I guess this one doesn't come with beta then?

In most cases I prefer characters leveling up as they are used. Someone did a conversation roll (intimidate/persuade etc) - they get a bonus, picked a lock? Bonus, killed something - bonus. Course when you're just getting XP from quests this could get harder, unless you give specific bonusses to the partymember who completed objective X from a quest. I dislike the "whole party levels up at once" deal, it happens in Dragon Age 2 for example, and what happens is that I end up switching my team around every once in a while just to level these guys up and stick them back on the shelve again cause I prefer not using them =P If that means that I'll have a few weaker guys cause I didn't use them - well if I needed them I'd use them more, else its all on me. In which case I'd be thinking about an XCOM - enemy unknown or Fire Emblem type deal, where if you leave a bunch of guys low level and you need them later on, well thats kinda your own fault.

Isn't that kind of your own 'problem'? Its like the people complaining on youtube that the video is too loud/not loud enough and expect the creator to adjust for their issues. The way I see it, if you have a free saving system, you can restrict yourself to only saving in towns or at "checkpoints" if you so desire. Or you could just 'abuse' the system if you feel that this makes your experience more enjoyable. I for one utterly dislike having to re-do a certain piece of a game once or multiple times because the last save option was way back. I'd rather 'diminish' my game experience with a well-placed save, than die and re-run a piece of game multiple times. Especially since I know that this has gotten be to stop playing certain games in their entirety. (A game should be fun and challenging - but not tedious.)

I'd move to see more content, be it in the form or stretch goals or otherwise. But mainly I'd love to see it done in such a way that doesn't compromise the current game. Plan for it, lay the foundations for future additions (this often is required, you can't just add things in as an afterthought...) Make some of these stretch goals into expansions, sequel idea's or content DLC. Or have a progressive release (similar to the episodic release of TWD or the way minecraft was done) and do it in such a way that doesn't compromise the main game. As many people here point out, focus on creating what is already promised - but keep your options open for expanding through stretch goals from any additional income coming in now with added pledges and sales. (Basicly, if people add a lot of pledges and purchases now, use that money to further benefit the game.)

I like ingame character advancement in class over a pre-chosen option. Often it feels kind of strange when you miraculously gain skills because you've killed X enemies all based on a checkbox you clicked on class creation. Learning certain skills or abilities from books, trainers, schools etc makes more sense to me. Course with the example of The Elder Scrolls you can become the master of all and that has its own downsides - similarly mixing classes can cripple you. The ideal way I'd say would be to have an initial class/path you start out with as you make your character. But being able to advance into certain directions with choices you make in the game. Perhaps add the option to either go with some standard classes/mixed classes and then add a "do it yourself" option at own risk.

A good or even great RPG requires multiple of the elements. Mostly I'd put it down to a combination of character development, choices/consequences and immersion. Good immersion becomes useless when the game lacks character development or Choices/consequences. Character progression is great but without immersion the game quickly becomes tedious and mediocre. Combat and Character advancement help make the game fun, but are not *required* for a great RPG. Graphics are also bonus, plenty of great RPG's do not have top of the line graphics.